Old Habits Never Disappear
by SalvatoreBabe96
Summary: Damon realises that old habits really don't ever disappear.
1. Past

Disclaimer: I do not own a thing =[ ...

**PAST**

"But Damon, I don't want to go to bed. I'm not tired," Stefan Salvatore trailed off just as his 5 year old mouth widened, allowing a huge yawn to escape his lips. He huffed and crossed his arms, pouting, while a 12 year old Damon smirked. Damon adored his little brother! Who couldn't, with a heart so pure, eyes that shone like the moon grazing a sparkly lake with its rays of light, nose so small that it looks almost like a button and lips graced with a baby smile. Damon smiled, he knew what his face showed. He knew by how the nurse was looking at him, because Stefan was the only one who could let the feelings seep through his eyes and soul ... adoration and love.

"Come on, Stef. Your tired and you have to sleep. If your really good, I'll read you a story just to help you drift of into dream land," Damon soothed, he knew the last part was childish and un-like him. But he would do anything for Stefan, he loved him, he was the reason why he would stick around when he wanted to run away from his father cruel and malicious ideas, when he wanted to get away and see mother.

"Will you read me two stories?" Stefan bounced up, staring at Damon with intense eyes. Damon laughed aloud and held his hand out, implying he wanted Stefan to grab on.

"Anything for you, baby brother. But you have to be extra, extra good!" Damon explained, picking his brother up to rest in his arms. Stefan nodded his brown haired head eagerly, snuggling down into his brothers warm and inviting arms before beggining to suck on his small thumb.

Damon smiled and nodded goodnight to the nurse's who nodded their goodnights in return. He swiftly walked down the hallway and turned right, immediently bumping into a large object. Damon's first instinct was to protect Stefan but upon finding his father's cold glare burning into his eyes, he walked past and made for Stefan's room, ignoring his father completely while his father ignored him, not wanting to disturb Stefan from his slumber.

By the time Damon had reached the bedroom, Stefan was breathing softly and steadily. All the excitment had drifted out of his petite body and was replaced with soothing arms and warmth. Damon smiled fondly, as he lay Stefan into his bed before leaving his brother. As Damon walked into his room, he noticed that he missed Stefan. Rushing back into his little brothers room, he threw back the blue covers and hopped into the bed, carefully though, to not wake Stefan. Damon Salvatore slept well that night and aslong as he had Stefan Salvatore by his side, he would every night.


	2. School Days and Bullies

Disclaimer: Again ... not a thing.

By the way: I know that in the 1800's they probably wouldn't have a ice cream shop or park but I really wanted one in here, I thought that it would sound sweet =]

**School Days and Horrible Bullies**

"Oi, Salvatore. We got unfinished business with you," Steven McQueen shouted from across the school playground. Stefan's eyed widen and looked for the nearest exit, immediately noticing that it was too far away, he'd never make it. Instead, he'd have to sit there, like a "dumb struck loser", which was what they all thought he was.

"Come here, "Alan Sanders growled, grabbing him by his collar. They all laughed, evil clear in there eyes and all 10 year old Stefan could do was cry. He was scared, scared of these bullies who happened to be the same age as his brother, Damon who was 17. He saw the and curl up, he saw the fist shape form, he saw the drawing back, that was when he closed his eyes, expecting the blow to come, which never did.

"Put him down, now!" He heard a voice sneer. He noticed how much it sounded like his father, but he knew it wasn't, father wouldn't stick up for him like that, and he'd stand there and say "Take it like a man, boy." No, it had to be the voice of Damon.

"I said, put him down, now!" Damon growled, moving forward. Stefan peeked out through his closed eyes to watch the happenings. Damon grabbed Alan's wrist and twisted and twisted and twisted before kicking him in the knee, catching his little brother in a brotherly hug. He checked his face and body for any signs of physical damage.

"Are you ok, Stefan? Did he hurt you? Did he do anything to you?" Damon soothed, bending down to be level with Stefan before enveloping him in a huge hug. He rocked Stefan's small and tear sobbing body, wiping away the tears. He was angered by the way he had saw the boy's treating his little brother, he would not stand around and watch his baby brother be bullied by jealous, stupid, immature, boys.

"You had better stay away from my little brother, or I swear next time, I'll have your head hung on my bedroom wall," He whispered manically to the boys. Taking Stefan's hand gently, he tugged his little brother towards to school gates before saying gently, "Would you like to go get some ice cream and they go to the park for a bit, Stef?"

"Okay, then," Stefan whimpered, wiping away a new batch of tears before smiling up at Damon. "Thank you for coming to my rescue today, Damon. I love you, big brother."

"Your welcome, I'll come to your rescue everytime. And I love you too, baby brother," Damon smiled. Stefan started swinging their arms back and forth, a smile gracing his face.

The little bell rung out in the shop as they entered, calling out to the owner, letting them now they had customers.

"So Stef, which flavour do you want?" Damon asked, smiling down at Stefan, who smiled back. They were lucky to have each other.


	3. Growing Up Means Growing Apart

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing

This is going to be different; Damon will feel different things when seeing Katherine.

Growing Up Means Growing Apart

Damon Salvatore watched from afar, from behind the rusty, old black gate that was now tinted with the bright orange rust. His bright blue eyes, that usually held so much light, happiness was now glazed over in an icy cold glare. His aim ... This Katherine Peirce his _father_ thinks is perfect for Stefan. He glared at her playing games with his brother, his best friend. He glared at her as she manages to make his brother not notice that he had returned. He glared at the girl who was taking what had been his for years, and he certainly wasn't about to loose his brother to a stupid girl.

He decided that he would make his brother see him, so he sprinted; he sprinted to catch up with them. But it seemed the faster he ran the farther they got away, laughing, hugging, and being friendly. He decided to scream, make his brother notice him.

"Stefan! Over here, it's me Damon!" He shouted, grinning as his brother turned to face him, a chilling glare apparent in his green, mossy like eyes. He gasped at stepped back, just as his brother began to talk.

"I know its you, Damon. But you left me, you left me for war, how can I forgive you for that? You promised you would never leave. And now, I don't need to anymore ..."

His voice rung in his head, _I don't need you anymore, need you anymore_, _don't need you anymore. _He recognised a voice in the background; he looked around, seeing complete and utter blackness.

"Damon!" The voice screamed, causing him to sit up right. He looked around, noting he was in his bedroom, sweating, and terribly cold. He looked towards the black silhouette, noting their stick like arms and legs.

"Stefan?" He asked, reaching out into the darkness, trying to get to his brother. A hand grasped his, holding it tightly before tugging him into a hug.

"Are you ok, Damon? I heard you screaming something about somebody not needing you anymore, so I rushed to see what was going on and you were lying in bed thrashing around, screaming and I got scared so I ..." Stefan rambled, tears leaking out of his green eyes. Damon smiled fondly, brushing his brother's hair out of his eyes.

"Stefan, I'm fine now. It was just a terrible dream, something that I never want happening, its okay, I'm okay, baby brother," He soothed, rubbing his brothers shaking back and rocking his sobbing body back and forth.

"What was it about? Tell me," Stefan asked, looking at Damon with so much sorrow and worry that Damon couldn't not tell him.

"Well, I had a dream that you and Katherine was best friends and you didn't recognise that I was home from the war, but when I tried speaking to you, you said you didn't need me anymore," He said, bowing his head to wipe away the tears.

"Damon, look at me," Stefan stated, lifting his chin up with two fingers, "I will always need you. You're my big brother, my best friend, my idol. The one I want to love with for eternity, the one I never want to lose. I wouldn't care less if Katherine, Father or anyone else died right now, but you, well, you'd be a different story completely!" Stefan cried, laughing. Damon now couldn't stop them, tears leaked over the edge as he pulled Stefan into a loving but brotherly hug.

"I love you, Stef. Please don't ever leave me."

"I love you too, Damon. I promise I won't leave you as long as you don't leave me."

"I promise, baby brother."


	4. How Could You

Disclaimer: Dont own a thing

Things are gonna begin to change within their relationship.

How Could You

Damon Salvatore lay in bed staring at his neighbour, it was normally his brother but not this time, it was Katherine Peirce. He knew she was his brother's girlfriend, so what made him do what he had just done with her! And why the hell did he have a servere bite mark on his neck!

"Katherine, wake up," Damon pleaded, wanting answers. He shook her and she immediently bolted up right before turning to Damon grinning.

"Morning, Damon. Did you enjoy last night?" Katherine cooed, stroking his bare chest. He shoved her off making her angry, she grabbed his neck on yanked him forwrds. Looking deep into his eyes.

"You enjoyed last night. Stefan is about to come in too, I want you to act like you don't care that you just had sex with his girlfriend, I want you to say that you loved it and you love me. Repeat now!"

Damon in a daze replied, "I enjoyed last night. When Stefan comes in, I act like I don't care that I just had sex with his girlfriend, I say that I loved it and I love you."

"Good," Katherine smirked, pushing him back onto the bed, knowing that Stefan was about to enter and any moment, so she crawled on top of Damon and begun kissing him. The bedroom door clicked open, a gasp was heard, then a scream.

"Damon! How could you? I thought that you were my brother," Stefan yelled, tears clear in his mossy undepthed eyes. At that moment, Katherine Peirce actually felt bad, bad for Stefan and for hurting him.

"Well, I dunno why I did it but I know for sure that I don't regret it. I mean I loved it and I love her! Come here!" Damon laughed, chasing Katherine before pinning her down and tickling her. Uon hearing Stefans thought of leaving, Katherine ripped her mind compulsion off of Damon.

"I hate you, Damon!" Stefan screamed, crying his heart out, running to the comfort of his bed. Damon looked around his room confused, before his sight set on Katherine, who was still underneath him, smirking evilly.

"I tolf you to let him go. You didn't. So I stepped in. You've officially lost your brother, just want I wanted to happen. Thats excellent!" She sqeauled before ripping herself from underneath the weight of him and running out the door.

"No! Stefan!" Damon cried, sprinting towards the sound of heartwrenching sobs. He hated himself right there and then. He knocked on the door.

"Stef, its me, Damon. May I come in, baby brother?" Damon said soothingly. He heard a muffle of words and then a cough and a nose blowing sound.

"I guess," He replied. Damon ripped the door open and stepped into his brother's now trashed room, he noted that the pictures that held him and Stefan in them were ripped to shreds and scattered all over the floors. He noticed the blanket that he had given to him for his 7th birthday and been torn up and written on, things like BETRAYER, HATE YOU, HOW COULD YOU?

"Stefan, I don't know what came over me! One minute I was telling her she wasn't taking my place in your life and the next thing I know, I'm in bed with her with a bite mark the size of her mouth on my neck!" Damon explained, stepping forward, allowing Stefan to choose whether or not he was okay to hug his baby brother. In the end, when Stefan made no movement, he threw his arms round him, crying himself, he felts tiny arms wrap round his waist, salty tears entering his wound. It stung. But he didn't care.

"Please don't hate me Stef, I would never try to hurt you pyshically or emotionally," He hugged him closer.

"I don't hate you Damon, its just she's gonna be the death of us, I hope you know that, right?" Stefan asked, lifting his head to look in his brothers eyes. Damon frowned, clearly confused.

"What do you mean, Stefan?"

"Damon, Katherine Peirce isn't who she makes out to be. Her father isn't dead! She killed him 45 years ago! An article was released 25 years ago, here take a look at these. I did some digging on her! It's surprising to say the least!"

He handed Damon two peices of paper, crusted and folded unneatly at the edges.

He looked at the first one which was a news article, and read the first few lines:

VAMPIRE BEAUTY OR BLACK WIDOW? YOU DECIDE!

Shocking news today folks as it turns out that you can't even enter you on home without getting bitten by beauty struck Katherine Peirce. Two more men were found dead today, it turns out she brings up a sob story about her father being dead and she needs carers! But its strange how she only goes for houses that have two sons in them. She plays, then kills! Sounds like we got a problem on our hands!

END!

He looked back at Stefan, eyes raised. Stefan urged his brother to look at the next one. What he saw shocked him! There in the middle of the paper, was Katherine sucking the blood out of two brothers that looked strangely similar to them, except the youngest had dark hair and the other had light.

"What are we going to do Damon?" Stefan asked. "I'm scared."

"We play along, do her game. Play then kill!" Damon said, hugging his brother.

"I love you, Damon. I was mad at you because you weren't supposed to do that with her, I was using her to kill her!"

"I love you too, Stefan. But you need me to help you, so remember, we play her game, play then kill, you hear."

"Play then kill, okay big brother!"

"We'll get through this Stefan, I promise."


	5. Look At What We Have Become

**Disclaimer:** I don't own a thing. No matter how much I wish I owned Damon

**Look At What We Have Become**

"Damon, it's been 145 years, why can't you let Katherine go and leave me alone?" Stefan growled, glaring at his older brother. Damon glared back, wondering what had become of him and his brother. Why had he led Stefan to believe that he had actually cared that Katherine had died? Why had he promised Stefan an eternity of misery when he wasn't even going to give it? Why had he hurt his brother? Why has his life turned out like this? Why had he _let _his life turn out like this? Why had he _let Stefan's life_ turn out like this?

"Like I said, I missed my brother," Damon replied, calmly. A little too calmly for Stefan's liking. Damon hoped he would believe what he had just said, because it was the truth. He missed his laugh. His missed his presence. He missed his amazing ability to cheer anyone up. He missed the way they could just be themselves around each other. His missed Stefan!

"I know why your here. Elena," Stefan said, stepping in front of Damon, stopping him from moving around. Damon sighed, dramatically. He looked at Stefan with a bored look on his face.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever dude. I'm here to repeat history," He waved his hand, dismissing the discussion.

"Stay away from Elena, Damon. She is not Katherine. And I don't think I can survive another betrayal," Stefan stated. Damon felt the familiar pang of guilt in the pit of his void, people call his heart. He hadn't felt anything for 145 years; it really was only Stefan who could bring out the feelings and memories of his humanity. The memories of laughter and football being played by the river sparkling under the sun rays, little ripples floating into the abyss.

He fought his way back to reality, to what relationship he still had with his brother, to his facade of anger and rage, to the person he wish he hadn't of made.

He put his pretend scowl that he had managed to master over the last century and snapped, "Shouldn't you be off to bed by now?"

"I'm not tired, Damon," Stefan shrugged, but was cut off by a huge yawn escaping his cracked and chipped lips. He sighed, annoyance vague in his breath. Damon chuckled; remembering a 5 year old Stefan doing exactly the same thing, except this time Damon wouldn't be taking him to bed or carrying him to his room, or running back to his brother's bedroom just for the want and need of being in his presence. Stefan glared at him before turning his back to him, walking out of the door and not looking back.

_Goodnight baby brother, I love you,_ Damon thought, sighing wishing he had said those words he had longed to say. He was caught off guard when he heard the faint voice of his brother in the back of his mind. _Good Damon, I love you too_, he smiled, maybe he could salvage what relationship he had left with his baby brother after all. Maybe there was still hope for them. Maybe he could make things be different this time. Maybe he could bring the past to the present. Maybe everything really is possible.

He smiled to himself, promising he would make the time he spent in Mystic Falls a time to remember, he would make it a good thing to remember for once. And he would come away feeling no guilt at all, but happiness that he had managed to begin his relationship with his brother again. And he will be happy for once that he managed to do something right for once.

As he walked to the wooden door, that led into the hallway and towards his brother's bedroom and his own, he stopped in the doorway and looked back on the room that he had fought with his father with so many times but it was also the room that he had laughed in so many times. And in his vampire ears, he could hear Stefan's baby laugh causing him to smile. Remembering things were good but some things were best left buried under the surface.


	6. Your Dead Meat

**Disclaimer:** I don't own a thing.

**Your Dead Meat**

"You're ignoring me. Is Stefan here?" Damon asked, stalking into the house. Looking around, trying to sense his presence. But when he didn't find any sense of it, he panicked.

"The 12 missed phone calls. Sorry my phone was dead. And no I haven't seen him all night. Why what's wrong?" Elena quizzed, frowning at the look at Damon's face.

"He went out to hunt and didn't come back," Damon answered, not knowing what to do. Pearls got him, she must have, getting revenge on him for not giving her what she wanted. Getting revenge was fine with him, he knew how good it felt but using his _baby brother_ to get revenge, that is what you never ever do!

"He's not answering his phone, it's just going to answer phone. Where could he be?" Elena questioned, looking at Damon for some sort of answer, anything to let her know that her loving and caring boyfriend that she had come to be so fond of, was ok. Damon looked at her from the side, his eyes dark and evil, almost psycho looking.

"You're not going to like what I'm thinking," He growled, storming out if the house, he knew that Elena was going to follow him. He started the engine and waited for her _annoying_ yet soothing, comfortable, warm scent to get in his car, before speeding off. Eyes glaring at the road in front, he felt Elena's gaze on him. He didn't care, he cared that his brother was alone, possibly being tortured and brutally hurt. He was fuming. No one took his brother and got away with it. No one.

He slammed the brakes on, just outside the woods that led to the white but looming house and told Elena to wait in the car. He sped to the house with his vampire speed and whacked the cracked white front door and screamed for Pearl to open the door. Of course, he was surprised when Fredrick opened the door.

"Miss Pearl isn't here," Fredrick said, opening the door just a crack. Damon frowned, looking him square in the eye.

"Where's my brother?" He sneered. Fredrick opened the door even more and called for someone named Billy. He looked at his brother, saw tears and pain. And fumed. He stalked forward, ready to attack, but only meeting an invisible barrier.

"We were locked in a tomb for 145 years because of Katherine's stupid infatuation with you and your brother. First few weeks, your head feels like it's on fire and your eyes feel like they are going to burst along with your brain. We thought your brother might want a taste of that before we killed him. Billy!"

Damon watched as they thrust the vervain soaked stake into his side, possibly puncturing his lung. Damon winced as he watched Stefan fall to the ground, a new batch of fresh tears falling from his handsome face. He looked at Fredrick and glared.

"I hope you don't mind losing your brother, like you lost Katherine. Good day Damon," He sneered, slamming the door in his face. He sprinted back, thinking of a way to get his brother out of this mess that he had gotten his brother in.

"Where is he? Is he alright?" Elena screamed, pulling an umbrella over his head and staring at him intently. He shook his head and sighed. He started to reply, "No, they have him but the owner of the house is human. Meaning that I can't get in."

"I can," Elena said, starting for the house. He pulled her back by her arm.

"No, Stefan would kill me, you need to stay safe. I got him into this mess and I'm going to get him out."

"But ..."

"No buts Elena, you leave this one to me. Stay at home and don't even think about saying anything about "But he's the love of my life, I need to save him" because that won't work. You're going to go home and stay there and I will bring him over once I have him cleaned up. Do you understand me?" Damon explained, his face showing his seriousness about this. Elena thought for a moment, so he decided to tap into his best friends mind.

_I know that I can trust him; he obviously cares for Stefan now. But I need to be there when Stefan is found. I know that I get help without getting caught. But I really don't feel like feeling the full force of Damon Salvatore's anger, so maybe it would be better if I stayed at home like he said. _

Damon grinned, pulling back from her train of thoughts. Waving his hand in front of her face, he pulled her out of her thoughts. Looking at her, expecting an answer.

"Okay, I'll go home and I'll stay there. But you have to promise me that you will bring him over once he is cleaned up Damon. Because I won't rest till I now that he is ok," She agreed, wanting some reassurance that she was doing the right thing leaving Damon in charge of saving his brother.

"I promise Elena, I will save him. Take him home, clean him up and bring it right over."

"Okay, so how do I get a ride home?"

"I'll take you."

The ride home was silent and awry, full of tension and anticipation. His brakes screeched to a halt in front of Elena's house.

"Remember your promise, Elena," Damon warned, reminding her of the promise she had made just a few minutes earlier, about not leaving her house to save her boyfriend. She sighed and nodded. Replying with one sentence, "I will, you remember yours."

"I will. Goodbye Elena. Stay safe and don't go anywhere near Pearl's house."


End file.
